...was brutal. It's not impossible, but it is grueling and I found myself dying for the breaks all session. Luckily, they're very good trainers, providing adequate break time and encouraging you to drink water.

The morning training session was definitely easier, but possibly because it was my first one and my health was in pretty good shape. It started off with a 2k run (I could've done a 5k instead with some people, but I want to take it easy on my knee since I hurt it during the hot chocolate 15k) and then we had some time to relax until training began. I had to buy some hand wraps and still need to buy my own boxing gloves and shin guards. Everyone wears shin guards and while my shins are fine right now, they may be aching after a few more days of training.

The session started like every session with 10 minutes of stretching and shaking out the joints/muscles. Then everyone (about 20 people at the gym) split and I was left wondering where do I go? But one of the trainers, Thang (I think is how it's spelled) came up to me and worked with me and some of the other beginners. He made sure our form was correct on jabs, punches, hooks, uppercuts, elbows, knees and kicks. I'm still learning to get these down, but I definitely improved over the day. We shadowboxed and then practiced our accuracy on some pads against one wall. He then worked with each of us individually with a little padwork. After that we practiced on the punching bags and did some more kicks.

Every end of a session ends in a pretty similar fashion: 100 knees to the bag, 100 front kicks and 20 regular kicks. Then they have us do 2 sets of 15 pushups, 2 sets of 40 situps and another stretch session to end the morning session. I really thought it wasn't too bad, but that's because I'm a beginner and was not ready for the afternoon session.

It started off alright, just working on shadowboxing while Thang would come by and help with my form. Then the real fun began. It was time for pad work, and I think they went easy on me for my first time. Thang pushed me hard for 3 or 4 rounds of 3 minutes each, just having me throw various combinations. I was wiped out and we weren't even halfway through the session. I thought there was no way I'd be able to get through this session without limping along. After my padwork he had me go to the bag to continue what I was learning. It was during this part that I slipped when I missed the bag with my knee. I got up right away, but two young thai fighters thought it was pretty funny. So I laughed as well, what else could I do? One gave me a pointer, but I only missed because the bag was swinging and I was tired. Every 3-5 minutes they blow a whistle where you drop and do 10 pushups or situps and then you can get some water. This break lasts a minute or so. I was definitely out of stamina, halfway through the session. But then, miraculously, we switched to technique for the rest of the day where we worked with another student on blocking. Important to learn, but not tiring on the body, you just have to learn to block what they throw. I was so glad for this part, my body was done for the day. Other more experienced students were clinching and sparring in the rings, never full speed, but it looked pretty fun. I'm sure I'll get there by the end of my trip.

It ended with the 50 knees, 100 kicks, pushups, situps, etc. and stretching. It felt so good to be done for the day. I just sat on the steps to the gym, taking it easy and dreading the next day. I sweated like I've never sweat before. I'm not exaggerating when I say every square inch of my clothers were SOAKED in sweat. My thick gym shorts were dripping wet like I just came out of the ocean. The combination of high temperatures and humidity with the session is almost unbearable. But as I write this at 4:15am (still adjusting to time difference I guess), I'm ready for whatever comes my way today. I know the morning session won't be so bad and tomorrow is a day off, and I already need it. Plus John will be visiting at some point today through tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to that as well.

During the day yesterday I did a currency exchange finally and paid for the first month for everything. That included 2 buffet meals per day, but I have to watch that I don't go overboard at these meals even if I'm starving. The food has been very good so far, and very healthy. For example, in the morning I had muesli with banana, guava, pineapple and granola, a couple pineapple/guava filled crepes and a piece of multigrain toast plus soy milk (not to my liking). In the afternoon I had to pay for my meal, but it was just 90 baht ($3) for a plate of glass noodles with spicy chicken salad. It was very good and full of veggies, mung beans and peanuts. I'm not a big veggie person, but I'm sucking it up while here and so far so good. Dinner consisted of some sort of veggie filled omelette, brown rice, a noodle plate and small fried chicken legs. They also had bananas, but I saved one for this morning as I don't have any food in my bungalow yet. That's on the agenda for today, going to a store to pick up some oatmeal and other food I can keep in my bungalow because I need to be eating 5-6 times per day, not 2. But I am excited for all the meals I can try, everything looks pretty good.

As for my training, there is some good news for some sweet relief. According to the veterans of the camp, apparently no one really trains twice a day 6 days per week unless they have a fight coming up. It's very taxing on the body and can cause sickness and injury since your body is wiped out and leaves you susceptible to germs/infection/etc. Before I came here, I was planning on weightlifting a lot to get to my goals, but not sure where I would fit it in. There's no way I can expect good results fitting in weightlifting in between muay Thai sessions. So I plan to weightlift 4 times per week in the afternoons most likely, switching it with some mornings sometimes. It'll help me gain the muscle I'm looking for instead of potentially losing some due to the extreme cardio in muay Thai. So starting Monday, I'll be beginning my weightlifting regimen I had set out to do. Only thing that bothers me a bit is that the gym isn't fully equipped, but I can make do.

Too long of an entry, I'm going to read and then get ready for the morning run.